NFL Draft Recap

Sorry to my loyal reader that I have been gone so long.  I was waiting for something worthwhile to happen, and now I have 1) the NFL Draft, 2) NBA Early Entry lis; and 3) The Race to the Bottom being led by Roger Clemens.

Let’s just take the NFL Draft today.

Now before I get to my review, I must say that being a draft expert must be fun and easy.  First of all, they all disagree — I saw grades for the Chiefs, the Vikes, the Bears, that ranged from A to F.  Huh?  Of course, no one will review this in 3 years when it really matters.

The second item was how the first round picks were all panned to some extent.  No one was ‘can’t miss’ like Reggie Bush and Vince Young from a couple of years ago   Seriously, I read about first round cornerbacks who were not good cover men but had good ball skills — um, what?

The other interesting take is the famous “workout warrior” and upside potential.  I am thinking Vernon Gholston.  So can anyone tell me, has there been that many prospects who had suspect work ethic in college, but then learned to turn it on in the pros?  I mean, if the guy cannot get up 11-13 times a year in college, why would he play day in day out in the NFL where the money is ludicrous?  I cannot think of anyone. 

Lots of guys are drafted early and / or late and have good or great careers.  Lots of guys are drafted early and expected to do well, and don’t.  But do guys who did not produce in college and are drafted early end up excelling in the pros?

This is the Vernon Gholston v Chris Long question.  Check out Yes MSG on April 29, 2011 for the answer!

On to the draft:

(1) JAKE LONG – DOLPHINS  — not often a right tackle gets taken with the first pick.

(2) CHRIS LONG – RAMS – DE — good motor, not a great athlete, serviceable pro for 10 years.  At least that is what I read

(3) MATT RYAN – FALCONS – QB — probably will not get sent to prison for dog fighting, so he has that going for him, which is nice.

(4) DARREN MCFADDEN – RAIDERS – RB — despite barroom brawls and the 2-4 illegitimate kids, he does run a 4.33!  Plus, he and Travis Henry are in the same division, so lots of mouths to feed in those two head to head matchups.  But hey, morals aside, I am looking forward to watching him.

(5) GLENN DORSEY – CHIEFS – DT — too fat, will break down within 4 years.  Heck, I don’t know, but no one else has said this.

(6) VERNON GHOLSTON – JETS – OLB — see above

(7) SEDRICK ELLIS – SAINTS – DT — will be a real good one, and I am glad he is at least out of USC

(8) DERRICK HARVEY – JAGUARS – DE — they gave up their first and two thirds for a guy who was not expected to go for another 8 picks at least. 

(9) KEITH RIVERS – BENGALS – OLB — no arrest record, so not sure he makes the team

(10) JEROD MAYO – PATRIOTS – ILB — Pats going teetotal?  Trading in the Brewski (Bruschi) for the Mayo?

(11) LEODIS MCKELVIN – BILLS – CB — I like this pick.  Why?  First of all, I like the French name — Le Odis and the Irish Name McKelvin.  Odis Kelvin would just be boring.  Second is he is from Troy and I am a huge Greek Mythology buff.  Troy put out DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys, the NY Giants kicker Laurence Tynes, Hector and Paris, so not a bad lineup. 

(12) RYAN CLADY – BRONCOS – T — First blue turf, then the Statue of Liberty and now first round draft picks — Boise State

(13) JONATHAN STEWART – PANTHERS – RB out of Pac 10 is all I care about.

(14) CHRIS WILLIAMS – BEARS – T — Nothing like taking the 5th rated OL as the protector of Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton

(15) BRANDEN ALBERT – CHIEFS – G — someone has to replace Kyle Turley — does Albert surf?

(16) DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE – CARDINALS – CB — Where did this name come from?  Is he French too?  Dominique for a man?  Named for Dominique Wilkins?  And the double barreled last name.  Is he British royalty?

(17) GOSDER CHERILUS – LIONS – T — This guy should have gone to Troy. 

(18) JOE FLACCO – RAVENS – QB — Wow, McNair retired and I thought that Kyle Boller was in the clear — now the Blue Hen with the rocket arm.

(19) JEFF OTAH – PANTHERS – T — no comment; I mean how many OL jokes can I make?  Maybe if he were on Indy with TOny Ugoh, then Ugoh Otah might be funny.

(20) AQIB TALIB – BUCCANEERS – CB — great ball skills but not a shut down corner, good in cover 2 which Tampa plays.

(21) SAM BAKER – FALCONS – T – Someone has to protect Matt Ryan, even this shouold-have-been second rounder.

(22) FELIX JONES – COWBOYS – RB — I actually like this pick as this kid is super versatile.  Maybe he can date Ashlee Simpson

(23) RASHARD MENDENHALL – STEELERS – RB — Are Rashad and Rashard different names or just different spellings?  Like Jeff and Geoff?

(24) CHRIS JOHNSON – TITANS – RB — He ran a 4.24.  Probably sucks as an RB, but 4.24? 

(25) MIKE JENKINS – COWBOYS – CB — Hope he learns the tricks of the trade from Pacman Jones

(26) DUANE BROWN – TEXANS – T — what?  Another OL?

(27) ANTOINE CASON – CHARGERS – CB — Saw him play for UA; glad he is out of the Pac 10

(28) LAWRENCE JACKSON – SEAHAWKS – DE — Most said that the Hawks should have take Balmer, but a couple of things — there is already a Bal(l)mer in Seattle, although it would have made funny headlines, and Jackson is articulate and writes poetry, and the erudite northwest values such learning.

(29) KENTWAN BALMER – 49ERS – DT — Everyone said the Niners should take this guy, but considering he only played one good year in college, and he was drafted by the Niners, he will most likely suck.

(30) DUSTIN KELLER – JETS – TE — Chad Pennington can only throw like 9 yards, so a TE is essential.

(31) KENNY PHILLIPS – GIANTS – S — Hey, you gotta replace Gibril Wilson or you don’t have a chance at repeating.

Now I cannot go through the other 220 picks, but here are some things that stood out:

- I like the Titans draft since they took a Cal tight end in the 3rd and a Cal receiver in the 4th. 

- Atlanta got a steal with Cal safety Thomas Decoud in the 3rd.

 - Philly will be happy with the speed, if not the attitude, of Cal receiver DeSean Jackson in the 7 games he plays before he is absolutely jacked up by Roy WIlliams of the Cowboys.  No NFLer should weigh less than I do, unless his last name is Gramatica.

(Note, due to a formatting error, the number 8 is represented as an , so I left to add a little levity to your reading)

More Hair-Raising (Literally) Content

No words necessary.

Lebron at 12 Feet of Altitude

If you have not seen this dunk, you must — and watch the Slow Mo too. Wow!

Off Topic but Hair Gone Wild

OK, I am not following this story too closely, but essentially, these Compound Dwelling Sect Members have been accused of potentially mentally and sexually assaulting their children.  As I do not know, that is for the authorities and courts to decide.  But what I can say without a doubt, is that kids have obviously been abused:

 

Sartorially

Stylistically

Cosmetologically

 

Who the heck still dresses like its 1816 Utah!  Who even knows how to do these hairstyles?  Do they make their own clothes?

 

Hillary Has Faith Too

Hillary Clinton is making me more sick.  What a pandering b……

So Obama is in San Francisco and certainly uses some ill-stated words to describe rural Pennsylvania.  But, and here is where Yes MSG can add some perspective, I believe there was some truth to what Obama was trying to say.

Yours truly once campaigned on behalf of a candidate in rural Arkansas.  While there, a gentleman approached me to show a picture of his two young girls.  I mentioned how cute they were and asked what he wanted to talk about.  He pointed out that my candidate wanted to take away his guns and he would, therefore, not be able to protect his children.  Um, from what?

This was an area that survived on automotive supplier plants, most of whom had moved.  It was a depressed region, losing jobs, etc, yet this guy was worried about protecting his kids from bears, or crime, or foreigners — he did not say.

I believe that Obama was trying to point out that in depressed regions people look to certain things for comfort, and those things may not always be the ones that put food on the table (unless you are hunting for it).

So, of course, the working class Hillary decided to show how Barack is elitist, especially in comparison with her.  So the woman who brought peace to Northern Ireland, who survived sniper fire (or was it flowers from a schoolgirl) in the ex-Yugoslavia, now points out that she:

• Shot a gun with her granpa [sic] behind the cabin he BUILT himself
• Uses her faith during all times, difficult and not
• Feels the presence of the Holy Spirit when she is taking a walk in the woods, and when she is THROWING UP IN HER MOUTH (oh wait, that was me)

I think I preferred the Clintons when they were cheating with ugly women, debasing the Lincoln bedroom and probably putting horses’ heads in competitor’s beds.

Like Obama or hate him, at least he says “human” things.  Plus, I am fine with an elite-ist President, as I have had enough of a ‘faithful’ one.

 

Tiger Does Not Win Master’s; Some South African Does

Well, I am not a big golf fan, but figured this might be a cheap way to get more Page Views.  Plus, the lack of intrigue was intriguing. 

The field, as predicted, came back to Tiger, except, Tiger only shot even par and Immelman held on with a 3 over as he had a 6 stroke lead on Mr. Feline.

But just to show how much Tiger must be in these guys heads, this guy actually wears Tiger’s Nike logo’d hat. 

Oh, and some advice for our South African friend — no flexing unless you have pythons!

God forbid Tiger ever breaks an ankle and misses an entire year. Every headline on the Master’s and any other tournament is about him.  Like Friday’s (premature) take that Tiger Slam is over, and oh by the way, some guy from South Africa is leading.  And Sunday’s take that TIger had lots of putts he should have made to win the 5th Green Jacket, and oh by the way some South African guy won (not Gary Player).

Your Chalmers’ Moment

You really have to start with this.

Chalmers’ shot was made possible by the following sponsors:

Joey Dorsey — silly foul on sideline giving KU two free points and a clock stoppage.  Bonus of Dorsey fouling out.

Sherron Collins — stealing inbound pass and making a 3 ball to cut 7 point lead to 4.

Chris Douglas-Roberts — 3 missed free throws.

Derrick Rose — 1 missed free throw.

John Calipari — not calling timeout to settle his troops and to tell them to FOUL for sure when KU crossed midcourt as they had a THREE POINT LEAD.

Mario Chalmers — for making an amazing 3 — Rose was in his face — and reminding all of us desk dwellers how empty our lives are.

 Well, the Kansas victory did allow me to win my pool and to finish in the top 10% of all Yahoo Bracket Competitors.  This and $4 gets me a latte at Starbucks.  Of course all that can be written about the game has been, so I will just point out a couple of tidbits:

- Mario Chalmers given name is Almario and his mom is Almarie

- Sherron Collins has a son, Serri’Marri with his girlfriend, Re’Quiya Aguirre

I know that many of my friends are having kids, so thought this might generate ideas since unique names are so difficult, and Sophia and Ben have been done to death (uh, no offense if your kids have those names )

Oh, and now back to the title of this post:

What is your Chalmers’ moment?  Mario is unlikely ever to do anything so ‘great’ again, but he always has this moment.  Mine, if I rule out a really excellent PowerPoint slide, would probably be hitting a 3-run triple off of Dickey Tompkins when I was 9.  Rather pathetic.

I need something to chest bump about, even though I would probably end up like these dorks.

Tiger Photo Expose

Why Memphis over UCLA in two photos (equivalent to 2000 words, and I don’t even have Rose in here)

BTW, my two-year-old switched allegiance this morning from Kansas, his original pick pre-tournament, to Memphis — could be the Tiger logo.

NCAA Final — Lock for Vegas

Well, if you look at my previous post, I continue my success as the Cooler!  Wrong on both picks (although I did say UCLA would have to contain Rose, and they did not; Rose made himself the #1 or #2 pick in the draft, and Collison, and maybe Love, might have made themselves a Senior and a Sophomore, respectively).

And don’t forget, my West Virginia bandwagon shirt arrived just in time for them to lose in the Sweet 16 to Xavier.

So if you are a Memphis fan, beware, as they might be my pick; thereby, jeopardizing their chance to be TItle Holders!

Of course, if KU wins, I win my pool.  In fact, if KU wins, my 2 year old will have picked the winner as well.  He would have done better overall in choosing winners by logo if the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) team were not the Retrievers.  They really were not Elite Eight material, despite a cute mascot.

So a lot of people thought the games were not worthy of Four #1s.  Admittedly, they were not classics, but I thought they were impressive nonetheless.  Memphis seemed to have control the entire time, but you kept waiting for the vaunted UCLA run.  But only Westbrook seemed up to the task, and even then when he went to lay it in after a Dorsey miss and cut the lead to 5, Dorsey hustled down the court and swatted the shot emphatically.  Rebound and subesequent basket to Memphis, 9 point lead, ball game. (Go to cbs.sportsline.com to see highlights of this block and Douglas-Roberts emphatic facial on Love.  Love will probably get a lot of that in the NBA, but he is still super solid.)

Before I get to UNC-Kansas, I thought I would bore you with my hoop exploits today at my gym.  I was doing my own Derrick Rose against a phantom Collison.  For those of you who read Bill Simmons, you know that when he saw video of eventual sixth pick in the NBA draft, Yi JianLian of China, working out on a court with chairs in various locations, he dubbed Yi the “Chair”man.  Based on the invisible Mr. Collison, you can call Yes MSG the Airman . 

However, regardless of the lack of a real defender, I did realize some things about my game.  I have no right hand — I did in high school.  The college 3 point line is F-A-R.  And on a good jumper, you can get a Carnegie Deli Pastrami Sandwich under my feet, but more usually, just an Italian Panini.

Back to the games.  The UNC Kansas was at least unique.  The Heels started off playing what looked like 5 on 8.  Kansas defense and quickness was amazing, but even my wife said they would not be able to keep it up.  When the Heels followed KU’s 40-14 run to start the game with a 36-14 run of their own, I thought they would win.  But the pressure of scoring every time down the court was too great, and Kansas, especially Rush and Collins, showed lots of heart.  Big win for a team that was obviously tight in the Elite Eight.

So the final could be an epic one as both teams run a reasonable amount, play defense, and have great talents.  The arguable top two players on the floor are both on Memphis — Rose and Douglas-Roberts (who was awesome and unstoppable and with a huge repertoire of shots against the Bruins).  But they don’t have a lot of other scoring options.  KU on the other hand, has a bunch of guys who can score, and a few reasonable big men now that you can add Aldrich to (Let me love you) Sasha Kaun.

If the KU team that destroyed UT in the Big 12 Final, and that played the first 15 and the last 5 minutes of the game against UNC shows up, I think they win.  But if the KU that played the middle of yesterday’s game and the entire game against Davidson shows, then we all know what will happen.

Kansas should win based on depth and scoring ability, but Memphis is on a roll.  So they are my pick; either that, or I am using the Costanza theory to guarantee my pool victory.

Before I sign off, two interesting tidbits:

1) Joey Dorsey’s real name is Richard Elmer Dorsey; Joey was a nickname since he jumped around like a little kangaroo when he was a kid.  Think it funny?  Just don’t tell him that. 

2) Kansas has only won two national titles.  For a program with such history, I was surprised to hear that.  Duke has more, and Connecticut has the same amount.  UNC has 4, Indiana 5, Kentucky, I think, 7 and UCLA 11.

See you for the post game on Tuesday.

Final 4 Prediction

Since my original Final 4 had Texas and Tennessee (I obviously have to lose my affection for the “UTs” of the college world), I am revising based on the actual participants.  Note, I originally had Kansas and UCLA in the Final, but based on what I saw last weekend, I am not so confident in the Jayhawks anymore.

UCLA – Memphis: Memphis has looked unbeatable.  Tremendous athleticism, good balance and arguably the best (future) player on the floor in Derrick Rose.  However, they have some flaws.  Cannot shoot free throws.  I know they made 30-36 against Texas, but I prefer to see this as an aberration than a trend.  They were like 50% all season.  They also are not great outside shooters.

They have enough bigs to swap over on Love — Dozier, Dorsey, Taggart, and even the 300 pounder whose name I cannot remember, but love will abuse that fatty.  Also, Dozier is tough and athletic, but there is a good chance he goes “Last Boy Scout” and gets himself ejected or in foul trouble.  Love is too savvy for him.

Westbook and / or Collison will have to contrain Rose, but I think it can be done.  Shipp will have to play well though.

I think UCLA, more disciplined and tested, and with a better coach, will win.

UNC – Kansas: UNC is the deepest team, has the best and most aggressive player, and falling short of a title is somewhat of a failure.  Kansas has lots of scorers but no one who seems to be able to take over a game, with the exception of Chalmers.  Whereas, I can see Lawson, Hansbrough, Ellington and even reserve Green taking over for UNC. 

Just a hunch, but combined with how KU played tight against Davidson, UNC wins.  I think KU is just happy to have made it.  They may play looser because of this, but still don’t see them taking it.

If it comes to UNC – UCLA, figure UNC will take it, but will save that post for tomorrow depending on how today’s games turn out.